wojtekd's travel reports

EVEREST - where the dream came true

No, I did not climb Mount Everest to the top. It requires super fitness, special training and a lot of money... But when I was a teenager, living in the communist Eastern Europe I was dreaming just about possibility to see the highest mountain of the world - to have it before my eyes... Years later I passed through Siberia, China and Tibet to Kathmandu. Then there is a choice of rare flight or daily morning bus to get to the small village of Jiri where road ends and famous Everest trek starts...

Favourite spots:

Trekking agencies in Kathmandu usualy offer you 11 to 14-day organized guided mountain walk which will take you from Jiri to the end of the trek at the Everest Base Camp. But with the help of the guidebook and map you can do it on your own. It is hard to loose the path. If you carry a lot of stuff you can find a porter in Jiri at the starting point. With some effort I did the uphill route in 10 days... It was 8 to 10 hours hiking every day. First few days (see map)you are going up and down and again crossing consecutive ridges. They say that during classic Everest trek everyone climbes height twice higher then Mt Everest itself. It could be true... You can shorten the trek flying from Kathmandu by small twin otter to the Lukla airstrip - it is like half of the way... But remember that these flights are very weather-sensitive.

What's really great:

Beautiful Himalaya landscapes and local people who live far from the noisy world. On your trek you will stay overnight in bhattis - primitive houses of Sherpa people. Sometimes you will find something called hotel in larger vilages and Namche Bazaar - Sherpa Capital. But it is still lodge cathegory. Out of Namche Bazaar it is hard to get sophisticated food. Unless you carry your own supply you will probably follow "potato diet": boiled, fried, baked potatoes...

Sights:

Tyangboche with its monastery is the first place which gives you really wonderful panorama of snowy-capped mountains. From this place you will hike even higher - to the windy Valley of Periche (overnight and noticeable less oxygene in the air) and finally to Lobuche. After a night in Lobuche (this will be your final accommodation - see map) you have a choice to walk up to the Everest Base Camp in the valley or to climb even higher - to the mountain of Kala Pathar (5545 m). Choose the second solution. Kala Pathar is like a peak in the middle of the circus - it will give you 360-degrees view of Himalaya with Everest, Pumori, Nuptse, Cholatse and other mountains... This picture was taken from Kala Pathar... Tha dark mountain is the highest peak of our globe

Accommodations:

Hard bunks in the bhattis are OK. But Periche and Lobuche (4930 m) at the end of the trek have only primitive stone huts with shared bunk dormitories inside). During the night there is very cold, regardless of the season. Bring warm sleeping bag with you! Access to the bottom of Mt Everest is much shorter and easier from tibetan side. Unfortunately during my stay in Tibet I did not have enough time and money to rent 4x4 car to Rongbuk Monastery. From this place it is easy (as they say) 12-km hike to chinese Everest Base Camp... I wish you to be there and write the report for Globies...